


Separate The Salt From The Sugar

by goddess_julie



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, Short One Shot, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-07
Updated: 2014-11-07
Packaged: 2018-02-24 12:25:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2581376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddess_julie/pseuds/goddess_julie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam is feeling down.  Louis and Zayn find a way to cheer him up and make him feel better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Separate The Salt From The Sugar

**Author's Note:**

> NaNoWriMo day 7. Couldn't get my brain to start working. Started off with a random collection of words and went from there. Don't even know where this came from but kind of love the interaction between the three. <3

“Red sparkle carnivals numbing French gold ocean frost oldlace spare change red apple.” 

Louis looks up from the book that he’s reading and raises one eyebrow. “The fuck?”

“What?” Liam asks, as if he’s surprised he’s not alone. Louis was here first, Liam joined him so he doesn’t understand why the other lad is so surprised he’s there.

“What the fuck did you just say? About sparkles and French gold and spare red apples?” Louis puts his book down and crosses the span of the bus from where he was sitting to where Liam is spread out on the makeshift couch. He tries to grab Liam’s iPad, frustrated when he’s too slow and Liam sits up sharply. He sees Liam fold in on himself so he goes back to where he was sitting, if not just to give him space.

“I’m just working on a few things,” Liam says with a huff. “The challenge is to come up with random words or phrases and then make something of it. Those were my words.” He blushes when Louis raises both of his eyebrows in surprise; there is also an air of respect on his face. “Now I just… Gonna write something with them.”

“Like for a song?” Louis isn’t taking the piss, he’s genuinely curious. 

“Dunno, just want to see how it goes. See what comes of it. Maybe for some songs, maybe just to write. “

The bus is quiet around them, Zayn is probably sleeping in his bunk while Harry and Niall had decided to get on the other bus for this leg of their trip. Louis had intended on just catching up with some email to his family and knew Liam had mentioned something about writing, but he had assumed Liam meant songs. Liam looks more serious than he normally does just to sit down and work on lyrics.

“Everything okay Payno?” Louis likes to rile the boys up, tease them and annoy them, but he hates when something is wrong with any of them and can’t do anything about it. 

Liam takes a deep breath and nods. “Yeah. Just…” He looks at Louis who is watching him patiently, just waiting for him to speak. “It’s nothing.”

“My ass it’s nothing,” Louis says. Liam is about to stand up but Louis reaches out and pushes him back down. “What? Tell me!”

“Just, I guess I’m tired of being the butt of everyone’s jokes, right? Like, I’m the stupid one. I’m the joke of the group and I just. I know I’m not as smart as Zayn,” He stops when Louis huffs out his laugher.

“Fuck, none of us are smart as Zayn,” he says honestly. 

“I’m being serious,” Liam says sharply. He thinks Louis isn’t taking him seriously which was why he didn’t want to say anything.

“And so am I,” Louis answers. “Zayn is smarter than all of us put together, in his way. Just like Niall is aces on the guitar in a way that none of us will ever even dream of being. Harry is Harry and you and I write songs that they couldn’t even start to write.”

Liam can’t help the smile that’s decorated his face. “Harry’s Harry?” He watches Louis roll his eyes fondly.

“Exactly. That boy can do anything and have it turn out gold. He’s got charm and that smile and just knows how to work a room in a way that makes me dizzy. He knows exactly what to say and who to say it to. There is not one of us that could leave this group and not make an impact so great that we just fold. So what I’m saying is, if you think that you need to be as smart as Zayn, you couldn’t be more wrong.”

“I just, I hate it.”

“Seriously Liam, imagine if you were as smart as Zayn. What the fuck would the rest of us do when you two had your intellectual conversations. We’d might as well just sit in the back and pick lice out of each other’s fur or something like monkeys. And who cares what other people say about you, it’s what I say that should matter most.”

Zayn’s laughter from the kitchenette startles them both. 

“First off, fuck you both. I was having the best dream and then all of a sudden I’m woken to the sound of you two babbling. Second, Leeyum, don’t try to be as smart as me. Then I’d have to kill you and I don’t fancy trying to beat a murder rap. And third Lou? That’s what you, Niall and Harry do now.” He pulls a bottle of Gatorade from the fridge and curls up on the couch next to Liam 

“Hey,” Louis’ response is slightly delayed. “I resent that remark.”

Zayn rolls his eyes and turns to look at Liam. His lips curl into a fond smile and he leans up to nuzzle against his stubbled jaw. “Lou is definitely wrong about one thing, it’s what I say that should matter most, and I think you are perfect. Not just in how fucking brilliant your songs are, but how eloquent you are with me. When you detail everything you love about me. My body.”

“That’s different,” Liam blushes. His eyes flick up to meet Louis’ gaze who, surprisingly, isn’t mocking him. 

“How, how is that different?”

Liam can only shrug. “Dunno, just is.”

“Your ear for mixing songs,” Louis chimes in. He moves to Liam’s other side and tucks his feet up under him. Where Zayn is practically on Liam’s lap, Louis is just sitting beside him, resting his head on Liam’s shoulder. “Fuck, your You & I Mix was phenomenal. And the fact that you had the idea for fans to go and make their own mixes? Amazing. We could have made a whole album of the mixes that we got.”

Zayn nods, making sure that Liam sees both of their support. “Yes your spelling and grammar are shite. But who fucking cares? I mean, Harry’s fashion sense is shite but no one comments on that!”

Louis raises his hand. “I disagree. I comment on it all the time.” They all nod sagely at both Zayn’s observations and Louis’ comment.

“And need I bring up Niall’s Bieber obsession?”

“I’d rather you didn’t,” Liam groans.

“Louis wrecked a pot boiling water for tea. WATER,” Zayn laughs as Louis pouts. 

“The stove was faulty.”

Both Liam and Zayn raise their eyebrows and watch Louis shrug down on the couch. “Well, what about you Zee?” Louis asks. Liam looks over at Zayn with a smile.

“What about me what?”

“You’ve pointed out all of our flaws. What is yours?”

They both watch Zayn blush and shrug. “It’s obvious, don’t you think?”

Liam snickers. “How about you spell it out for us, I’m a bit slow apparently.” He high fives Louis who cheers.

“My taste in mates,” Zayn grins. “These cheekbones. This flawless skin. Do you know how hard it is to be me? What I have to deal with every day when I get up and see myself in the mirror?” 

Louis barks out his laughter while Liam buries his face in Zayn’s chest to laugh quietly.

“Oh please.” Louis says as he stands up and rolls his eyes. “Your ego, that’s your flaw.”

“Part of the charm Tommo.”

“You both make me sick,” he replies with a grin. “Gonna go and sob to El on Skype about how horrible you are Zee. She’ll make me feel better.” He heads to his bunk leaving Liam and Zayn alone on the couch in the lounge.

“How about you,” Zayn asks coyly. “You need me to make you feel better?”

“You already did babe, thanks.” Liam rests his head back on the couch and closes his eyes. As he hears Zayn’s frustrated huff his face breaks out into a smile and he opens his eyes. “Babe, I’m kidding. Your FACE!” He stands up, hoisting Zayn in his arms as he goes. 

Zayn growls against Liam’s jaw as he wraps his legs around his waist. “You’re horrible Leeyum,” he chastises. “Thought you were serious. Maybe you need to be punished.”

“Maybe I do.” Liam leers. “Maybe I need a good spanking.”

“I’ll spank you both,” they hear from Louis’ bunk. He groans as they both catcall.

“Don’t offer what you’re not willing to follow up on mate,” Zayn laughs. 

“Really?” They’re not sure if Louis sounds interested or worried. It’s Liam who answers.

“We’ll be in the back bedroom. Knock if you’re interested.”

As they’re about to close the door they hear Louis laugh loudly. “El says I should call your bluff.”

Liam and Zayn exchange smirks as Zayn pulls Liam in for a lengthy kiss. “You know where to find us,” he calls loudly. 

“If you DARE!” 

Zayn pulls Liam in and bites his lip playfully. “That was wicked babe,” he praises. “You know he can’t turn down a dare!”

“Maybe I’m not so dumb after all,” Liam’s words turn into a lengthy moan as Zayn’s hand slips into his shorts, cupping his cock firmly.

“Never any doubt babe. And don’t let anyone tell you different.”


End file.
